Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
Public health officials are urging residents in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T., to boil drinking water for at least one minute. The advisory comes following mechanical problems at the community's water treatment plant. In a news release the Department of Health and Social Services said the problems led to turbid — cloudy — water being distributed. The advisory applies to both piped and trucked water.
